NBA: Pacers grind out win over Heat
FILE – Buddy Hield #24 of the Indiana Pacers celebrates a three pointer against the Chicago Bulls during the second half at United Center on October 26, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois. Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP
Buddy Hield tied his season high with 25 points, leading the Indiana Pacers to a 101-99 win over the Miami Heat on Friday night in Indianapolis.
Miami’s Tyler Herro, who had a game-high 29 points, missed a would-be winning 3-pointer off the front rim at the buzzer.
Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton had a near triple-double with 22 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana’s rookie first-round pick, added 23 points off the bench, going 10 for 12 from the foul line.
Miami, which was without leading scorer Jimmy Butler for a second straight game due to a sore left hip, also received 18 points and 10 rebounds from Bam Adebayo. Max Strus added 17 points, Gabe Vincent had 15 and Kyle Lowry 10.
The first quarter featured seven lead changes and six ties before Miami emerged with a 29-28 lead.
Indiana used a 10-0 run midway through the second quarter, taking a 45-38 lead with 6:27 left. Later in the period, the Pacers put together a 14-0 run for a 59-43 lead with 2:32 remaining.
By halftime, the Pacers led 62-50 behind 22 points from Hield on 9-for-12 shooting overall, 4-for-7 on 3-pointers. Mathurin added 14 points, including 9-of-10 free-throw shooting.
Buddy got buckets tonight.
25 PTS
9 REB
2 STL@buddyhield | #BoomBaby pic.twitter.com/lcJhd8FXuw— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) November 5, 2022
Herro led Miami with 14 first-half points, but the Heat shot 34.9 percent from the floor, making just 5 of 24 3-pointers (20.8 percent). Indiana shot 50 percent from the floor.
Miami held Hield scoreless in the third as the Heat cut its deficit to 80-77. Herro had 10 points in the quarter.
With 5:35 left in the fourth, Vincent’s 3-pointer allowed Miami to tie the game, 94-94.
But Hield, after missing his first five second-half shots, made a 3-pointer with 3:22 left to give Indiana a 97-94 lead. Indiana never trailed again.
With 10.1 seconds left, a layup by Strus was ruled goaltending. However, the call was overturned upon review, and it was a valid block by Myles Turner. Miami got the ball back, and Herro made two free throws to cut the Heat’s deficit to 100-99 with 8.4 seconds left.
Miami fouled Mathurin, who made the second of his two free throws for a 101-99 lead with 7.6 seconds remaining. Herro, who made 8 of 20 shots from the floor, then missed his final try to give Indiana the victory.
